DONGDUCHEON — Mayor Park Hyung-duk of Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, has received the Korea Veterans Association's highest honor, the Veterans Grand Medal, for contributions to regional security and the spread of veterans culture.
Park was given the award at the 74th Korea Veterans Day ceremony held on the 8th, the city said on the 12th. The medal is the association's most prestigious award for non-members who have made significant contributions to national security and to the organization's development.
Park has worked to improve practical benefits for people of national merit and their families, while also leading efforts to raise security awareness across the community, including patriotic education programs for local youth.
Working closely with the Dongducheon chapter of the veterans association, he actively supported efforts to advance members' interests and strengthen the organization, and consistently sought to build a social climate in which discharged soldiers and veterans are respected.
He drew particular praise for backing the "Go With Heroes" program during June, the month honoring patriots and veterans — the first such initiative among veterans association chapters in the country's 226 basic local governments. The program has been cited as a model case for local governments seeking to promote veterans culture in distinctive ways.
"I received this meaningful award thanks to the members of the veterans association who devoted themselves to the country and have served as a pillar of the local community," Park said. "I will never forget the noble intentions of those who sacrificed for national security, and I will spare no effort in providing respect and support so that people of national merit and their families can feel pride."
Kim Seok-hoon, head of the Dongducheon chapter of the Korea Veterans Association, said: "The mayor's receipt of the Veterans Grand Medal is a source of pride for Dongducheon, which has long valued the meaning of honoring veterans, and for all of our members." He added, "We will continue to cooperate with the city and fulfill our role as a firm pillar protecting the security of the local community."